Men of Honor Essay

The story ultimately revolves around two “men of honor”; their relationship, their individual and joint failures and triumphs. Carl Brashear is determined to be the first African American Navy Diver in a time where racism is rife. Leslie Sunday is his embittered trainer, determined to see him fail. Fate, challenges and circumstances eventually draw these two men together in a tale of turbulance and ultimately triumph. Carl Brashear, born in 1931 to sharecroppers, joins the Navy and, after watching the heroics of Billy Sunday, the White son of a sharecropper, determines to become the Navy’s first African-American diver.

At the Bayonne, N.J., divers’ training camp, Sunday is his instructor, and Brasher must endure hazing verging on the murderous.

With Sunday and the camp’s commander dead set against Brashear’s graduating, his physical skills and steely determination, which he got from his father, see him through. Carl and Billy’s paths cross again when each needs rehabilitation one from an injury, the other from bitterness.

Their wives look on with awe and frustration. During a time where racism was rampant throughout the entire country. Carl Brashear a young, brash black naval officer in training is determined to become the very first African-American scuba diver. This will not be easy for Carl, as a lot of his shipmates and even his trainer Master Chief Billy Sunday wants to see that he fails and quits the navy. It will take all of Carl’s strength, endurance and determination to win the respect of his fellow naval officers and make history.